King's College London School of Arts and Humanities
Encyclopedia
The King's College London
School of Arts & Humanities is one of the nine academic Schools of Study of King's College London and one of the best in the world. It is situated on the Strand in the heart of central London, in the vicinity of many renowned cultural institutions with which the School has close links including the British Museum
, Shakespeare's Globe
, the National Portrait Gallery and the British Library
.
The School of Arts & Humanities offers study at undergraduate and graduate level in a wide range of subject areas. Many of the departments and programmes offer joint undergraduate degrees, including some with the Departments of Geography and War Studies, in the School of Social Science & Public Policy and with Mathematics in the School of Natural & Mathematical Sciences. As a member of the Russell Group
, the School receives a high number of applications.
A highlight of the academic calendar is the School’s Arts & Humanities Festival when, as one of Britain's pre-eminent centres of research in the Arts and Humanities, the School opens its doors for a week of debate and exploration about a topic and its reverberation in a range of cultural forms, from fiction and theatre to art. The festival includes a series of lectures by King's academics, exhibitions, round-table discussions and workshops.
The School is a member of The Council of University Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (DASSH UK). The current Head of School is Professor Jan Palmowski, who took over from Professor Ann Thompson in 2008.
Over the past few years, the School has established interdisciplinary programmes such as European Studies and Comparative Literature, with a new BA in Liberal Arts due to start in 2012. It has led new developments in teaching and research, for instance through our Department of Digital Humanities, Department of Culture, Media & Creative Industries, and the Modern Language Centre.
The School of Arts & Humanities houses several publication series, from monographs produced in conjunction with other publishing houses such as Ashgate to small in-house series.
The current list of series includes
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
School of Arts & Humanities is one of the nine academic Schools of Study of King's College London and one of the best in the world. It is situated on the Strand in the heart of central London, in the vicinity of many renowned cultural institutions with which the School has close links including the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, Shakespeare's Globe
Shakespeare's Globe
Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse in the London Borough of Southwark, located on the south bank of the River Thames, but destroyed by fire in 1613, rebuilt 1614 then demolished in 1644. The modern reconstruction is an academic best guess, based...
, the National Portrait Gallery and the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
.
The School of Arts & Humanities offers study at undergraduate and graduate level in a wide range of subject areas. Many of the departments and programmes offer joint undergraduate degrees, including some with the Departments of Geography and War Studies, in the School of Social Science & Public Policy and with Mathematics in the School of Natural & Mathematical Sciences. As a member of the Russell Group
Russell Group
The Russell Group is a collaboration of twenty UK universities that together receive two-thirds of research grant and contract funding in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1994 to represent their interests to the government, parliament and other similar bodies...
, the School receives a high number of applications.
A highlight of the academic calendar is the School’s Arts & Humanities Festival when, as one of Britain's pre-eminent centres of research in the Arts and Humanities, the School opens its doors for a week of debate and exploration about a topic and its reverberation in a range of cultural forms, from fiction and theatre to art. The festival includes a series of lectures by King's academics, exhibitions, round-table discussions and workshops.
The School is a member of The Council of University Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (DASSH UK). The current Head of School is Professor Jan Palmowski, who took over from Professor Ann Thompson in 2008.
History
Departments like English and German are among England’s oldest and were founded in the 19th century. The College Faculty of Arts merged with the Faculties of Music and Theology as the School of Humanities in the late 1980s and took on the name of the School of Arts & Humanities in 2009. Original Arts departments such as War Studies and Geography formed part of the School of Social Science & Public Policy in 2001, while Arts & Humanities expanded from its 'classical' humanities roots.Over the past few years, the School has established interdisciplinary programmes such as European Studies and Comparative Literature, with a new BA in Liberal Arts due to start in 2012. It has led new developments in teaching and research, for instance through our Department of Digital Humanities, Department of Culture, Media & Creative Industries, and the Modern Language Centre.
Departments and programmes
The following departments and programmes can be found in the King’s College London School of Arts & Humanities:- Centre for Hellenic Studies (incorporating Byzantine & Modern Greek Studies)
- Classics
- Comparative Literature
- Culture, Media & Creative Industries
- Digital Humanities
- English Language & Literature
- European & International Studies
- Film Studies
- French
- German
- History
- Middle East & Mediterranean Studies
- Modern Language Centre
- Music
- Philosophy
- Spanish, Portuguese & Latin American Studies
- Theology & Religious Studies
Interdisciplinary programmes
- Liberal Arts BA
- Eighteenth Century Studies MA
- Medieval Studies MA
- Two-Year International MA
Summer School
The School also offers well recognized Summer School courses as part of the King’s College London Summer School. Courses are intensive and use the School’s links with external cultural institutions and make 'London a classroom’. Courses on offer showcase work done in research centres such as Queer@Kings or the Centre for Humanities & Health.Research Centres
The School is home to a number of interdisciplinary research centres- Camões Centre
- Centre for Hellenic Studies
- Centre for the Humanities & Health
- Centre for the Study of Divided Societies
- Department of Digital Humanities
- Film Studies Centre
- Life Writing Research
- London Shakespeare Centre
- Institute of Advanced Musical Studies
- Menzies Centre for Australian Studies
- Queer@King’s
- Research Centre for American Studies
Present
- Professor Catherine Boyle, Professor of Latin American Cultural Studies
- Professor Arthur Burns, Professor of Modern British History, Vice-President of the Church of England Record Society, Literary Director and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
- Professor David CarpenterDavid Carpenter (historian)David Carpenter is an English historian and writer, currently Professor of Medieval History at King's College LondonHe is the son of Rev. E.F. Carpenter, renowned ecclesiastical historian and Dean of Westminster Abbey between 1974-1986, and Lillian Carpenter...
, Professor of Medieval History - Professor John DeathridgeJohn DeathridgeJohn Deathridge is a British musicologist. He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham, and at Lincoln College, Oxford culminating with a dissertation on Wagner's sketches for Rienzi, and is currently Professor of Music at King's College London...
, King Edward Professor of Music - Professor Brian HurwitzBrian HurwitzBrian Hurwitz BA, MB BS, MA, MSc, MD, FRCP, FRCGP is a British clincian and academic and Professor of Medicine and the Arts at King's College London...
, Professor of Medicine & the Arts - Professor Charlotte Roueché FKC, Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine Studies
- Professor Ann Thompson, Professor of English, Director of the London Shakespeare Centre
- The Reverend Professor Richard BurridgeRichard A. BurridgeRichard A. Burridge is Dean of King's College London, where he is also Professor of Biblical Interpretation. He was educated at University College, Oxford where he received an MA and the University of Nottingham where he read for a PhD...
FKC, Dean of King's College London, Chair in Biblical Interpretation, Director of New Testament Studies
Former
- Harrison BirtwistleHarrison BirtwistleSir Harrison Paul Birtwistle CH is a British contemporary composer.-Life:Birtwistle was born in Accrington, a mill town in Lancashire some 20 miles north of Manchester. His interest in music was encouraged by his mother, who bought him a clarinet when he was seven, and arranged for him to have...
FKC CH, British contemporary composer - Averil CameronAveril CameronDame Averil Millicent Cameron, DBE, FBA is Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine History in the University of Oxford, and was formerly the Warden of Keble College, Oxford between 1994 and 2010....
DBE FBA FKC, Warden of Keble College, Oxford, Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine History in the University of Oxford, and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford - John Eliot GardinerJohn Eliot GardinerSir John Eliot Gardiner CBE FKC is an English conductor. He founded the Monteverdi Choir , the English Baroque Soloists and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique...
CBE FKC, English conductor - Mario Vargas LlosaMario Vargas LlosaJorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquis of Vargas Llosa is a Peruvian-Spanish writer, politician, journalist, essayist, and Nobel Prize laureate. Vargas Llosa is one of Latin America's most significant novelists and essayists, and one of the leading authors of his generation...
FKC, Peruvian writer, politician, journalist, essayist, and Nobel Prize laureate - P. J. MarshallP. J. MarshallPeter James Marshall CBE, FBA is a British historian known for his work on the British empire, particularly the activities of British East India Company servants in 18th-century Bengal, and also the history of British involvement in North America during the same period.-Early life and education:He...
CBE FBA, Emeritus Rhodes Professor of Imperial History - Janet (Jinty) Nelson DBE FBA FKC, Emeritus Professor of Medieval History, President of the Royal Historical Society from 2000 to 2004
- Conrad RussellConrad Russell, 5th Earl RussellConrad Sebastian Robert Russell, 5th Earl Russell was a British historian and politician. His parents were the philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell and Patricia Russell...
, 5th Earl Russell - Jonathan SacksJonathan SacksJonathan Henry Sacks, Baron Sacks, Kt is the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. His Hebrew name is Yaakov Zvi...
Kt FKC, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth
Publications
Many academic staff at King's are editors and contributors to many standard editions such as the Arden Shakespeare series.The School of Arts & Humanities houses several publication series, from monographs produced in conjunction with other publishing houses such as Ashgate to small in-house series.
The current list of series includes
- Modern Poetry in Translation (Second Series)
- Plain Text Series
- Centre for Hellenic Studies Publications
- Institute of Advanced Musical Studies: Study Texts
- Adam Archive Publications
- Centre for Twentieth-Century Studies Publications
- King’s College London Medieval Series
- King’s College London Hispanic Series
- Office for Humanities Communication Series
- Mediterranean Studies Monographs
Famous alumni
- Rory BremnerRory BremnerRoderick "Rory" Keith Ogilvy Bremner, FKC is a Scottish impressionist, playwright and comedian, noted for his work in political satire...
FKC (born 6 April 1961) - David BruceDavid BruceDavid Bruce may refer to:* David Bruce , founder of the Firkin Brewery pub chain*David Bruce , Scottish physician* David II of Scotland , David Bruce, King of Scots, son of King Robert the Bruce...
(b. 1970), composer, currently commissioned to write a new piece for clarinet & string quartet for the Carnegie Hall. Awarded a PhD in Composition in music, under the supervision of Sir Harrison Birtwistle. - George Leonard Carey, Baron Carey of Clifton, PC, FKC (born 13 November 1935)[1] was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1991 to 2002
- Mike DashMike DashMike Dash is a Welsh writer, historian and researcher. He is best known for his books and articles looking at unusual historical events, anomalous phenomena, and strange beliefs.-Biography:...
(b. 1963) is a Welsh writer, journalist and researcher (who did a "...particularly obscure PhD thesis, entitled British Submarine Policy 1853–1918" in War Studies, then in the School of Arts & Humanities). Dash worked for 20 years as contributing editor and publisher of the journal Fortean Times. - Barry DaviesBarry DaviesBarry George Davies MBE is a British sports commentator. He has covered a wide range of sports in a long career, primarily for the BBC.-Broadcasting career:...
, (b. 1940) sports commentator, best-known for his football commentary & 'Voice of the Boat Race' for years between 1993 and 2004. Studied English Literature. - Maureen DuffyMaureen DuffyMaureen Patricia Duffy is a contemporary British poet, playwright and novelist. She has also published a literary biography of Aphra Behn, and The Erotic World of Faery a book-length study of eroticism in faery fantasy literature.-Life and work:After a tough childhood, Duffy took her degree in...
, (b. 1933) poet, playwright and novelist - her novel Capital includes oblique but unmistakable references to King's. Studied English. - Jonathan Gill, member of the British boyband JLS
- Garry KilworthGarry KilworthGarry Douglas Kilworth is a fantasy and historical novelist.Kilworth is a graduate of King's College London. He was previously a science fiction author, having published one hundred twenty short stories and seventy novels...
, sci-fi author, studied English. - Charles KingsleyCharles KingsleyCharles Kingsley was an English priest of the Church of England, university professor, historian and novelist, particularly associated with the West Country and northeast Hampshire.-Life and character:...
(1819 - 1875), novelist, author of The Water-Babies - Alice MartineauAlice MartineauAlice Katherine Martineau was an English pop singer and songwriter.Born and educated in London, Martineau graduated from King's College London with a first class honours degree in English...
(1972 - 2003) was an English pop singer and songwriter, studied English. - David ProfumoDavid ProfumoDavid John Profumo FRSL is an English novelist.He is the son of former British government minister John Profumo and actress Valerie Hobson. He succeeded his father as the 6th Baron Profumo, but like his father does not use the title, which is of Italian origin.He was educated at Eton College and...
FRSL (b. 1955), an English novelist, 6th Baron Profumo - Elizabeth SmartElizabeth SmartElizabeth Ann Smart is an American female activist and contributor for ABC News. She first gained widespread attention at age 14 when she was kidnapped from her home and recovered nine months later.-Early life:...
(1913 - 1986), Canadian poet and novelist. Her book, By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept, detailed her romance with the poet George Barker. Studied Music. - Victoria Solomonides, Minister Counsellor (Cultural Affairs), Embassy of Greece, London & UK Representative of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture (made a King's Fellow in 2005).
- Anne SomersetAnne Somerset-Biography:Anne Somerset was born in England in 1955, and was educated in London, Gloucestershire, and Kent. She read history at King's College, London, and began her professional career as a research assistant to several historians. She published her own first book in 1980; it was a popular...
(b. 1955; read History at King's) - writer of well regarded historical books, the first being The Life & Times of William IV. Her acclaimed biography was on Elizabeth I was published in 1991. - Josh CooperJosh CooperJosh Cooper is the name of:* Josh Cooper , Director of NETswitch* Josh Cooper , British cryptographer* Josh Cooper , defensive end for the New Orleans Saints...
(1901 -1981), English cryptographer. Studied Russian at King's & was later member of the Government Code & Cipher School. - Paddy TomkinsPaddy TomkinsPaddy Tomkins QPM was appointed HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland by Royal Warrant in March 2007. He was formerly the Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police, which he joined in 2002 and was succeeded by David Strang. He initially joined Sussex Police in 1979 and in 1993...
QPM was appointed Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland by Royal Warrant in March 2007. Studied History. - Jane TranterJane TranterJane Tranter is an English television executive who has been the executive vice-president of programming and production at BBC Worldwide's Los Angeles base since January 2009...
(b. 1963), "Head of Fiction" at BBC television, studied English at King's. - Desmond TutuDesmond TutuDesmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
(b. 1931), former Archbishop of South Africa and Nobel Peace Laureate
External links
- King's College London School of Arts & Humanities homepage
- School of Arts & Humanities on Facebook
- School of Arts & Humanities on Twitter
- Arts & Humanities Festival website
- King's College London Summer School homepage
- The Council of University Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities website